The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Sharad Pawar, has alleged foul play in various polling booths, accusing its opponents of attempting to influence voters by deploying their workers as polling booth agents. The party shared videos of arguments between its workers and polling booth agents from constituencies like Shirur and Ahmednagar, where high-octane contests are underway.
In Shirur, actor Amol Kolhe of Sharad Pawar's NCP is seeking re-election, competing against Ajit Pawar-led NCP's Shivaji Adhalrao Patil. Meanwhile, in Ahmednagar, NCP (SCP)'s Nilesh Lanke is challenging BJP's incumbent MP Sujay Vikhe Patil.
MP Kolhe tweeted that the workers of the ruling party are acting as polling agents directly in the polling station, alleging pressure tactics by the ruling party in the Shirur constituency. Kolhe and NCP (SCP) shared a video of an argument between polling agents, election officials, and workers.
"In Shirur Lok Sabha Constituency, a video is being circulated on social media showing a booth member of the Mahayuti appealing to voters to vote for their candidate directly in the polling station itself," NCP (SCP) said in its tweet.
Amol Kolhe also mentioned that the NCP (Ajit Pawar group) is distributing slips with a clock symbol in areas near voting booths. He stated that promoting the election symbol on the polling day violates the code of conduct. Kolhe requested the police administration to stop the distribution of clock symbol slips in the booth area of all assembly constituencies in Shirur Lok Sabha constituency and to take immediate action against the political workers of the concerned party.
On the other hand, NCP (SCP) has also alleged similar tactics being used by the ruling dispensation in the Ahmednagar constituency. The party alleged that BJP candidates, in collusion with local officers, are displaying their poll symbols with candidates' pictures inside polling booths to influence voters. The party shared a video of the incident.
"A video has surfaced on social media showing officials conducting the polling process at the booth of Ghumtwadi in Pathardi taluka of Ahmednagar Lok Sabha indulging in campaigning for the BJP candidate by distributing leaflets inside the polling booth. Strict action must be taken after a thorough investigation of the officials concerned in the said video and the persons forcing them to propagate the code of conduct!" the NCP (SCP) said in its tweet along with the video.